In February 2015, In the LEAD met up with Prof. Ron Martin and Dr. Jason Rentfrow at the University of Cambridge, pictured right and left respectively, to discuss the prospects for mutual research collaboration on the relevance of a region’s psychology for the economic resilience of UK cities.

The regional psychology data are based on a truly unique UK survey on individuals’ personality traits by Jason Rentfrow and his co-authors, whereas Ron Martin is one the world’s leading experts on the highly topical question as to why regions and cities and the associated firms and citizens in a given location differ so much in their ability to deal with shocks and structural change. The central idea in the research project will be how the psychology of individuals is both shaped by and is a determinant of its geographical context, and how this in turn will help us to understand why some cities and their firms are historically so much more in the lead when it comes to their success in dealing with changing economic fortunes. In line with the mission of In the LEAD, the research will be cross-disciplinary and combine insights from the fields of psychology, economics and geography.        

More information:

• Ron Martin
• Jason Rentfrow
• Two background papers:
  • B. Fingleton, H. Garretsen, and R. Martin, (2012) ,” Recessionary Shocks and Regional Employment: Evidence on the Resilience of UK Regions”, Journal of Regional Science, 52(1), pp. 109-33.
  • P.J. Rentfrow, S.D. Gosling, D.J., Stillwell, M Kosinski, and J. Potter, (2013). “Divided we stand: Three psychological regions of the United States and their political, economic, social, and health correlates”.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology ,105( 6) pp. 996–1012.